


Tradition

by cerealpageturner



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 07:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14492250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerealpageturner/pseuds/cerealpageturner
Summary: The Falcon was perpetually in a state of disrepair, and today was no different. Ben is working on the particularly irritating task of tightening one of the connections to its Quadex power core when he senses Rey approaching. He tenses. There’s something specific about this location on the Falcon that makes him feel unsettled about being there with her.





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Reylo Week 2018 on Tumblr. https://reylo-week-2018.tumblr.com  
> Theme: Touch  
> Inspired by a scene in Empire Strikes Back. I hope you enjoy.

The Falcon was perpetually in a state of disrepair, and today was no different. Ben is working on the particularly irritating task of tightening one of the connections to its Quadex power core when he senses Rey approaching. He tenses. There’s something specific about this location on the Falcon that makes him feel unsettled about being there with her. He continues to focus on his work, ignoring her when she appears in his periphery vision. She’s standing in the entrance of his narrow workspace, a maintenance shaft with a rickety platform and an unstable metal winding staircase.

“What are you working on?” she asks.

He continues struggling with the stubborn connection joint. It doesn’t want to budge.

“Here, let me help you,” she says, moving into the cramped area. She touches his hand lightly. Even though it’s been three months since he left his old life behind, he’s still not accustomed to this type of connection. Skin to skin. He feels warmth crawl up his face and desperately hopes that she doesn’t notice. As it always has, the Force surges around them when they are near each other. It’s intoxicating.

“No, I’ve got it!” he says, a bit more vehemently than necessary.

“Hey!” she says, dropping her hand. “What’s wrong?” She’s standing way too close.

He meets her gaze. “It’s nothing. Sorry. Just a bit jumpy.”

She snickers. “I can see that.”

He stops working for a moment, looks down at her, and flexes his fingers. “I guess I’m out of practice when it comes to repair work. It’s been a while.”

She smiles. His heart feels like it’s going to beat out of his chest. He’s been puzzled by his attraction to her ever since they met. At first, he thought it was the Force drawing them together for reasons of its own, but now he suspects it’s much more than that. He smiles back. It’s a simple gesture, but he feels like he’s out of practice with that too.

“You have a nice smile, Ben.”

Before he can reply, she’s pressing around him to get to the stubborn connection joint. He rolls his eyes at her back. She’s about to show off, but it amuses him.

“Now let me see if…. yes, here we go,” she says, as she easily snaps the joint into place. “Ouch.” She shakes her right hand and then sucks on the side of her thumb.

“What is it?” he asks as she turns to face him.

“I pinched it.”

“Show me.” He reaches his hand out.

She gets an expression on her face that almost looks like fear. But then she places her hand in his. It’s a small blood blister.

“It doesn’t look that bad,” he says, “but just in case.” He brings her hand up to his lips and gives the wound a gentle kiss. “There. All better.”

Her breathing changes, as does his. She doesn’t take her hand away. Her face is red. His probably is too. “Is that some sort of… custom?” she asks, her voice unsteady.

“Actually, yes,” he replies slowly, nonplussed, “it sort of is. You’ve never…?” but he doesn’t complete his question. What a moof-milker he is for forgetting that she didn’t get to experience many things he did in his childhood because she pretty much didn’t have one.

“No. Never,” she says.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I shouldn’t have.”

“It’s all right. I don’t mind.” She gives him a nervous smile and moves closer.

They are standing there, eyes locked, in that tight space, close enough that he could lean down and kiss her. But he’s not sure he should. Not here. Not in this place so full of history. Besides, he’s not even sure she feels that way about him.

“Ben, what’s wrong?” she asks. “You’re trembling.” She still hasn’t removed her hand from his.

“I’m not trembling,” he replies, knowing it’s a lie. He’s trying really hard to calm down, but he’s failing. He’s losing himself in her beautiful eyes.

“What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid? I’m not afraid.”

“Well, I am,” she declares. Her gaze flickers to his lips.

His heart is pounding so hard that she must be able to hear it. They draw closer to each other, and then Rey presses her lips firmly to his. He breathes in and kisses her back, pulling her against him in a tight embrace. He’s never experienced this mix of elation, energy, and the adrenaline rush that normally he’d associated with battle. His body is reacting instinctually to her. It all feels so good.

After a few moments, they pull apart, both breathless. “That was… whoa,” Rey whispers. Her eyes are wide and a small smile is playing on her lips. “I’ve never… well, I was worried I wouldn’t get it right.”

He sighs. “You couldn’t have gotten it more right.”

“Ben, there’s something about this place,” Rey says. “Tell me.”

He takes both her hands in his, still wanting to touch her in some way. He smiles crookedly, giving in to the bittersweet nostalgia. “Han So- my father - he once told me that this location in the Falcon was lucky.”

“What makes it lucky?” she asks.

“It’s where he and my mom had their first kiss.”

“Oh,” she says, and frowns. “Maybe I shouldn’t have –“

He shakes his head. “No. I’m glad you did.” Drawing his face closer to hers he whispers, “Someone has to keep up family tradition.”

They kiss again. Thankfully, unlike what happened to Ben’s parents, there’s no protocol droid on board to interrupt them.


End file.
